Linda’s Derby Linda Jones Retirement Village • Winter edition 2019
Linda Jones, our village namesake, is a real trailblazer
Meet Kathryn and Rex
Welcome to our first residents
Introducing Nathan
A note from David and Sharon… Hello, and a warm welcome to the winter edition of Linda’s Derby. The first half of this year is flying by! Every time we look out at the village construction site another home has the roof on, the kitchen installed, or even the carpet down. It’s hard to believe that this time last year the site was just a paddock! We held our first pre-arrival meeting in April at the Horsham Downs Golf Club where we got together with the first group of residents moving into townhouses. We covered what happens before and after move-ins, including advising on phone setup and newspaper delivery, and even Happy Hours!
In May, we were delighted when our first townhouses were completed and our first residents moved in. Full credit to the fantastic construction team who have been doing such an outstanding job. If you would like to come in to view our plans or our brand-new townhouse showhome, please give us a call or visit our sales office at 1775 River Road, which is about one kilometre north of the Flagstaff shops. We would love to see you!
One thing that really struck us was the chatter and laughter as residents made new friends, discovered surprising connections and caught up with new friends made at one of our many events. This reminds us of how people often talk wistfully of the good times when you knew your neighbours and life was about community and family. And that is exactly what life in our villages is like.
David de Veth & Sharon Tainui Sales Advisors
Ph: 07 853 3382
Independent apartment plans available now!
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Resident profile
Meet Kathryn and Rex After five years of living the life in the beach resort of Orewa, Kathryn and Rex Nielsen are looking forward to a change of scene beside the mighty Waikato River. While they loved being beachside and spending time with their youngest grandchildren, the couple says it’s time to share the love and hang out more with their family in the Waikato. Their apartment in the village will be just a short distance from Kathryn’s daughter in Rototuna. “I’m looking forward to having a bit more hands-on time with the teenage grandchildren,” says Kathryn. “They’re at the age now where they can bike round to Nana and Pops.” The two semi-retired teachers, who met while both working at Auckland’s Mt Albert Grammar School, have six children between them and like to think of fun things to do with the grandchildren. While it was time with the children and grandchildren that influenced the move to Hamilton, it was because of their parents that they decided to move into a retirement village.
Both Kathryn and Rex had to move their parents into resthomes and didn’t want to put their own children in that position. “We thought we would make the move so that way the kids don’t have to worry about it. We don’t want to be a burden on them.” And the seal of approval came from another family member - Kathryn’s brother, who acts as their lawyer. “He knocked our socks off really because he was so positive about it. He said you’re buying something intangible. So that was a wonderful affirmation,” Kathryn says. Once the decision was made, that was it. The couple became two of the first people to sign a contract for the new village. As they get ready for the big move the couple will be winding down their lives in Orewa – Rex works part time doing financial mentoring through the Salvation Army while Kathryn does a few days relief teaching at the local high school.
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Hamilton village named after local icon Gasps of delight and a big round of applause greeted the news that our village has been named in honour of New Zealand’s most famous female jockey, Linda Jones MBE.
Her first attempt to apply for an apprentice licence was turned down. The reasons for the refusal included being too old (she was 24), not strong enough, and the fact that she was married.
The name was revealed in April at a special event held at the Hamilton Workingmen’s Club with Linda herself present for the occasion.
It took her three years to get the licence but finally in 1977 she became the first New Zealand woman jockey to gain the right to race against men.
As the first woman to be inducted in the NZ Racing Hall of Fame, Linda is a true Kiwi icon who now joins a long list of great New Zealanders whose names have been lent to Ryman retirement villages, including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Bruce McLaren, Possum Bourne and Sir Edmund Hillary.
It was at Te Rapa in 1978 that she notched up her first win, which then led to a flood of historic firsts to be achieved.
“She’s a New Zealand icon whose career was forged in the Waikato...” Fittingly, her brief but brilliant career was forged in the Waikato. After getting noticed in the womenonly ‘Powder Puff Derbies’, Linda became a media sensation by leading the campaign for equal rights in horse racing.
She was the first female rider in the North Island to take home first place and she became the first woman to ride four winners in one day, also at Te Rapa. Linda was also the first woman to win a Group Race, the first to win at Ellerslie and the first woman in the world to win a derby. She cracked some firsts across the Tasman too, including becoming the first woman to win against men in Australia.
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Gordon MacLeod explained that suggestions for village names were sought from prospective residents at public meetings held before the village’s construction started. “When it came to finding a name for our River Road site we turned to our locals at a meeting at St Andrews Golf Club last year and this was a popular suggestion,” he said. “Linda is New Zealand’s most famous female jockey, she was a trailblazer for women and a brave and fierce competitor in a tough sport. “She’s a New Zealand icon whose career was forged in the Waikato so I can’t think of a more fitting namesake for our beautiful new village in Hamilton.
Pictured top: Former jockey and village namesake Linda Jones with Ryman Chief Executive Gordon MacLeod at the naming ceremony. Pictured inset: Linda Jones with Piripi Matika.
“I’m sure it is a name that everyone in our village community will be proud of.” Linda travelled from her home in Queensland to be at the naming ceremony and said she was delighted to lend her name to the new village in an area that was dear to her heart.
Gordon also thanked Piripi Matika from Ngati Wairiri for performing a karakia to open the event. He praised Project Manager Gary Cox’s efforts in leading the build since construction began last year.
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Forgetfulness: Normal Ageing or early Dementia? A few months back I visited someone in Mangakino, a small New Zealand central North Island town, originally built for the workers who were constructing the huge hydro dam of the same name. I had visited there as a kid to see the massive building works. When I returned home, a drive of around 40 minutes, my wife enquired where I had been. I knew where I had been in crisp detail, but not the name of the town. Whakamaru was the next town and that I remembered well from my schoolboy visit more than 60 years ago. But Mangakino had taken fright and raced away from my finely tuned neurones. “Come back” I wanted to shout. But I could only bleat: “It’s slipped my mind. I’ll remember later.”
Simple solution: I’ll Google it, or least the neighbouring dam: Whakamaru. Sure enough, there on the map nearby was Mangakino. Problem solved. Nope. Not solved at all. After I closed the screen I called out to my wife: “It was XXXX?” The pesky word remained absent, absent without leave I might add, and the Google jog had gone with it. I began to think that I’d better check in to a dementia unit as I was losing it, and what did I need to take with me? Common sense prevailed as I felt on top of stuff otherwise. So, I wrote the word Mangakino on a card and placed it beside the phone and computer. It took three days for that pesky neurone either to wake up or pass the name to an underworked neighbour. And it did, and now I am Mangakino educated and friendly.
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Self-diagnosis is a wobbly area and can prematurely label a spouse or loved one with a disturbing diagnosis that is not the case. Sometimes the individual is reacting adversely to medication; drug doses for older subjects are commonly too high. Or their thyroid gland is out of kilter, or there are disturbances of their liver or kidney. Type II diabetes can induce changes suggestive of dementia, as can mini strokes. Too much alcohol in the elderly is a common disrupter of behaviour and memory. Depression and anxiety can overrun the governors of normal behaviour. A bladder, or even deep skin infection may tip behaviours off balance and individuals can appear confused. Low levels of vitamin B12 are a common cause of abnormal behaviour and personality in older people. So, don’t rush to judgment. Find the disorders that are not dementia and get them treated.
I don’t have dementia!! So occasional, or even common trouble with memory recall is a feature of normal ageing. When dementia arrives, at first with isolated episodes of abnormal or even bizarre behaviour, sudden mood changes, or increasing patches of forgetfulness or lack of recognition of people they know well, or increasing confusion, then it is time for action. Daily skills begin to fade; individuals can struggle with conversation; judgement becomes unreliable; they may wander without knowing where they are, and their personality can alter materially. It is time for a proper medical assessment, to be sure that the issue is dementia, as in many instances it is something else. You don’t want to get it wrong!
Missing a masquerading condition that is readily identified and treated is a major lost opportunity to discard the dementia label and return life to its rightful path.
About Dr Doug Dr Doug Wilson is an academic, a physician, a pharmaceutical industry researcher and a medical scientist as well as a writer. For the past 30 years he has monitored the scientific literature as it relates to ageing and his aim is to cut through the fads and fallacies to concentrate on the core issues and the physiological and psychological reasons behind them.
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Village takes shape, build milestones reached May was an exciting month for the construction team as build targets were achieved and the village began to take shape.
“The precast panels are going in and the shell beams. Because of the gradient we are working on three different floors at the same time.”
The first stage to open was the group of townhouses nearest to River Road and, of course, with residents living on site a few essential things had to be put in place first, said Project Manager Gary Cox.
Then, at the beginning of September, the first apartment-dwellers will be moving into their brand-new riverside apartments.
“In the weeks leading up to the move-ins we’ve been connecting the village to the mains power, water and gas supplies and we’ve got a container in the car park with all the communications set up there.”
Seeing the village transform before him, and then attending the event in April when the village name Linda Jones was revealed, have been fantastic motivating factors for the whole team, Gary said.
“The roof structure is well under way, which means the fit out of the interior can also be done.”
There has also been major planning needed to keep the residents’ access separate from construction vehicles. “It’s all about keeping everyone safe,” said Gary. Work on the village centre is progressing well too, Gary said.
“It’s like opening a town within a town, it creates its own identity. “It’s always an exciting time for the guys to hand over finished homes. I hope our new residents feel as proud of their new home as we are.” Pictured: A village apartment block emerges from the ground, with the construction team on-site.
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Red ribbon welcome for new River Road residents Clifford and Jillian Frangos were the first to move into the village and their smiles said it all.
“There could still be a bit of downsizing to go!” he laughed.
The couple, who have moved from their previous home just two minutes down the road, had roped in their daughter and son-in-law plus their two grandsons to help them shift.
Daughter Selina, who had come down from Auckland to help with the move, said she was pleased her parents could still be in the same neighbourhood as before.
The move came about when they decided to check out the then planned village at the information meeting last year and, liking what they saw, everything had ‘developed from there.’
“They have a few friends from bowls moving into the village too so it’s all lined up really nicely for them.”
“We thought ‘right, we will make the move!’” Clifford said. There were a few more firsts involved too. This is the first time they will live in a brand-new home and the first time they bought a home off the plans. They had been busy downsizing their belongings as they were moving into a two-bedroom house from a three-bedroom.
She said the fact they would be living in a lovely new house was fantastic. “It’s just nice to know that you’re the first to live there and everything’s lovely and new. I think they’re going to be really happy here,” she said. Pictured: Sales Advisor Sharon Tainui, Jillian and Clifford Frangos with Regional Sales and Community Relations Manager Jane O'Connell.
But having come from a big farmhouse before that they had accrued a fair bit over the years.
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Book review
The Secret Diary of Charlotte Gatland Written by Patricia Charlotte Dennis. This is an extraordinary story of a woman who carved out a future in the pioneering days of New Zealand. Charlotte was the ancestral aunt to British and Irish Lions Rugby Coach and former Waikato rugby player, Warren Gatland. Charlotte’s story from 1847-1884, starts when she was aged 19. Charlotte was born in England, the daughter of a British officer and her mother Catherine. She was the eldest daughter with three siblings. “I enjoyed reading it from start to finish, as it was such a good read. I think it would appeal to both men and women.” Charlotte’s mother spent time teaching her daughters every facet of housekeeping. At nineteen, Charlotte enjoyed parties and was just beginning her social life within London society. Her sisters gifted her a diary for her 19th birthday and she was determined to write in it every day of her life.
As England was experiencing a depression, her father, who was a sergeant major near retirement age, decided to take a posting in New Zealand. The family was not pleased, however, they had to go along with the decision. Leaving London on the Sir George Seymour, the family arrived four months later in Auckland, New Zealand. Upon arrival, the promise of a house and land did not pan out. Instead they lived in Onehunga, which was a “tent city” and very different from where they had come from. In New Zealand, Charlotte faced many challenges, adventures and hardship. It was the start of a very different life. I found the book very interesting and informative and very hard to put down. I enjoyed reading it from start to finish and I would like think it would appeal to both men and women. Reviewed by Valerie Brady, Hilda Ross Retirement Village.
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We’ve done it again… Fabulous five as Most Trusted Brand Ryman Healthcare has been named the most trusted brand in the retirement industry for the fifth time.
“Deciding to move into a retirement village is one of the biggest decision people make in their retirement,” he said.
We’ve taken the top award in the aged care and retirement village category in the Reader’s Digest 2019 Most Trusted Brands awards. Ryman also won in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018.
“Our residents trust us to look after their care and their security, and to care for them into the future. It’s a privilege to look after them.
The aim of the awards is to identify the brands Kiwis recognise and trust the most. The winners are chosen from a survey of 1,500 New Zealanders across 65 categories. Catalyst Marketing & Research surveyed respondents on which products they recognised and used, and which held their trust in each category. “To win this award five times shows that we’re consistently delivering, and we will continue to do so.”
“To win this award five times shows that we’re consistently delivering, and we will continue to do so. “It is always nice to win awards, but the best reward is the feedback we get from our residents and their families each day.” Ryman Healthcare has also won the Reader’s Digest Quality Service Award in the aged care and retirement village category four times.
Ryman was singled out for praise for having helpful and friendly staff, residents who love living in Ryman villages, and for providing care that is “good enough for Mum”. Chief Executive Gordon MacLeod said it was humbling to win the award for the fifth time.
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Staff Profile
Introducing Nathan Brown
Having said that, initial delays on getting started on the River Road build meant Nathan’s skills were put to use at other Ryman sites instead. He went to Pukekohe to work on the Possum Bourne village, he helped with the demolition of existing buildings at Ryman’s Lincoln Road site in Henderson and he even did a stint at Hilda Ross Retirement Village as the maintenance man. “It was quite a change coming from a construction environment to a completed, working retirement village,” he says. “It was awesome though, I really liked it. “I have basically seen the whole cycle from setting up a site on a greenfield, to demolition, to building the village and then seeing how the finished product operates once it’s up and running.” Beside the fact it’s so close to home, Nathan says the location of the new Linda Jones village brings back some happy memories.
Being a Rototuna local, Health and Safety Officer Nathan Brown was excited to hear that Ryman was starting construction of a new retirement village just down the road in Flagstaff. The role meant a huge change from his previous work, running his own business as a drilling engineer and hydrologist, with one big advantage. He says: “I have never lived so close to my place of employment, it’s brilliant!”
“My aunt and uncle used to rent a property on the old farm here, so I used to come and visit my cousins and run around in the paddocks. “Now 40 years later here I am still running around in the same place,” he laughs. “It really is a great location for retirees though. It’s central to everything in Hamilton and the residents are going to enjoy the riverside aspect. Ryman has chosen an awesome site.”
“For 22 or so years I was developing all the health and safety systems for large corporate customers, the council, mine sites, etc and that was all around the North Island so there was a lot of travel. “Then I decided I needed a change of scene and this came up which is just four minutes down the road – just perfect!”
1775 River Road, Hamilton
lindajonesvillage.co.nz
David de Veth & Sharon Tainui Sales Advisors Ph: 07 853 3382 Talk to David or Sharon about independent apartments, townhouses or serviced apartments.